Bill Overview
Title: Countering Limitless Overtaking of User Data Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Commerce to report on data servicing operations owned by Chinese entities. The report must address, for example, whether these Chinese entities may be subsidized by China.
Sponsors: Rep. Gooden, Lance [R-TX-5]
Target Audience
Population: people whose data could be serviced by Chinese entities
Estimated Size: 280000000
- The bill impacts any individual whose data could potentially be serviced by Chinese entities.
- Since many tech companies and internet services have global users, this bill could potentially impact anyone using services provided by companies involved in this data servicing.
- Given global internet usage statistics, potentially billions of users interact with internet services whose data may be served by Chinese entities.
Reasoning
- The CLOUD Act primarily impacts individuals concerned about privacy and data protection when using internet services potentially linked to Chinese data operations.
- This simulation includes a diverse population to ensure a wide net of perspectives ranging from highly impacted individuals to those not impacted.
- The budget constraint implies that measures will need to be implemented selectively, possibly targeting the most vulnerable or high-use cases first, or relying on existing structures to reduce costs.
- The policy might lead to improved privacy safeguards or increased transparency, potentially boosting wellbeing for privacy-conscious individuals.
- We also account for people who may not see direct impacts on wellbeing due to either indifferent views on data privacy or reliance on services not involved in this data servicing.
Simulated Interviews
Software Developer (New York City, NY)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope the policy provides better transparency about where my data is going.
- This sounds good for cybersecurity if managed well.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Tech Executive (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned about how this impacts business operations.
- We may need to adjust our data processes, but transparency is always good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Data Analyst (Chicago, IL)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a step towards securing data integrity, but I wonder about its enforceability.
- We need to be cautious not to disrupt international data flows.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
College Student (Austin, TX)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm not too worried about where my data goes, honestly.
- If it makes things more secure, that's cool, I guess.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Freelance Designer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm curious if this policy will change access to tools I use.
- I like the idea of understanding more about data practices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Small Business Owner (Miami, FL)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Transparency is important but I'm worried about cost implications.
- If the policy affects international shipping apps, it could hurt my business.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Retired (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy is a necessary measure for protecting our data against foreign influences.
- I'm hopeful it will lead to more secure practices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Stay-at-Home Parent (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I trust the companies I use, but learning more couldn't hurt.
- This might not change much for me day-to-day.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Marketing Specialist (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could necessitate changes in how campaigns are run internationally, which is challenging.
- I see the potential for ethical improvements in data usage.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
IT Consultant (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 9.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's about time we had more oversight on foreign data use.
- I hope this doesn't complicate business strategies too much.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $15000000)
Year 2: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $12000000)
Year 3: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $12000000)
Year 5: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $12000000)
Year 10: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $12000000)
Year 100: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $12000000)
Key Considerations
- The cost primarily covers the operational needs of the Department of Commerce to produce the report and maintain oversight.
- The potential impact on international relations due to scrutiny of Chinese entities could affect implementation costs and outcomes.
- Data security improvements prompted by the report could foster more robust digital economic conditions, potentially impacting broader economic costs and revenues.